Wife claims my bike is "an expensive ornament". Discuss.

[Throttled]

Yesterday I used my bike to visit a friend. I don't commute any more, so visits, a bit of shopping that fits in the huge top box and runs for fun are the main uses of the bike. I use the bike all year round and with everyone having a driving licence in the house, sometimes the bike is my only option.  When I got home and said what a nice dry, warm run it had been, my wife described the bike as an expensive ornament.

 

I think that means my bike is absolutely not an ornament. But, arguably, it is not essential, we could cope with the cars alone. But, that cannot be enough to claim the bike is an ornament, surely?

[Fiddlesticks]

No! It's a passion, a love, crucial to mental health and sanity, the coming together of man and machine in a visceral expression of primeval power, skill, speed and knowledge. Two fingers to the cosseted, safety obsessed modern world, this is life on the edge, the age-old dance along the line between life and death, one of the few remaining places where one can truly experience the value of this gift we call living. In that mysterious bond and connection with The Road via two small patches of rubber, one is immediately in communion with all places and all times past, present and (dare I say it), future.

 

 Also, very handy for nipping to the shops.

[Joe85]

I don’t need 99.9% of the shit I own, but if I didn’t have them, I’d have to talk to the Mrs!

Edited April 17, 2024 by Joe85

[Davidtav]

In my experience it is generally the wife who is the expensive ornament

[Bender]

Just say yes it is and it's mine and it's staying.

 

 

[GojuRyu5]

An ornament has two definitions:

1. a thing used or serving to make something look more attractive but usually having no practical purpose, especially a small object such as a figurine.

2. the accessories of worship, such as the altar, chalice, and sacred vessels.

Your bike clearly has a practical purpose, and supports wellbeing. So it’s not an ornament on that definition.  However, your wife may have a point on the basis on definition 2. Is your bike an accessory of worship / a sacred vessel? I might argue yes .

 

My read on this is that your wife is not complaining about the bike, but merely reaffirming what you already know. Riding your bike is akin to a religious experience and a vehicle of worship that deserves your attention and faith.

 

If that doesn’t win this particular, it’s time for a new one… Wife, not bike… .  Stay safe out there.

Edited April 17, 2024 by GojuRyu5

[husoi]

I'll just say one thing.

 

I got divorced for much less...

[Bender]

6 minutes ago, husoi said:

I'll just say one thing.

 

I got divorced for much less...

Good man.

[Throttled]

The wife has apologised, to me and the bike.

 

 

[Stu]

Ornaments don't move! 

 

Just like my mates bike who we tell him it's an expensive ornament

 

 

[Throttled]

I could park it in the living room, next to other ornaments.

[husoi]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Ornaments don't move! 

 

Just like my mates bike who we tell him it's an expensive ornament

 

 

A pair of £300 shoes move and are nothing more than an ornament

[Bender]

31 minutes ago, husoi said:

A pair of £300 shoes move and are nothing more than an ornament

You are on about brake shoes I hope cause that would be justifiable  

[Ian Frog]

Please make sure the family are made aware every time the bike is the only transport available as if they continue to monopolise the family`s cars they should contribute to the upkeep of the ornament !

Cheers

Ian

[S-Westerly]

My wife is ambivalent about the bike. On one hand she refuses point blank to have anything to do with it. This is a huge plus as it means that I don't have her shrieking in my ear when pushing a bit too much. There's been the odd occasion in the car that I've threatened to get out and walk. On the other hand she's more than happy for me to whiz around on it and not put Mike's on her car. Running out of hands here but I'm pretty sure she considers it an expensive luxury even if not an ornament. As I'm very careful to keep most costs associated with it, including the price of the bike, away from her beady eye she tolerates it. A bit like with an over enthusiastic large puppy she just rolls her eyes a bit.

[Tinkicker]

This is the definition of an expensive bike ornament.  Rebuilt to as it left the showroom standard inside and out at very great cost, but the uniquely low mileage means I am not allowed to put more than about 20 miles a year on it or severely devalue it, in the opinion of the classic bike appraiser.

 

So it lives in its living room display case.  If a collector came along lusting after it, I would gladly sell it and buy an africa twin.  It really belongs in a museum.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2024 by Tinkicker

[RideWithStyles]

go

Edited May 14, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Fozzie]

I have 3 motorbikes, I am only allowed 1 wife/girlfriend. 

I think I could easily have 5 motorbikes, limited by the amount of maintenance I am prepared to keep up with.

For the same reason, I could only have 1 girlfriend  

 

Do the math. Get another bike. 

 

[RideWithStyles]

one more wife/Gf, you are mad with sickness? i think a forecourt load of bikes from the scrap yard would be less work and money...

[RideWithStyles]

15 hours ago, Throttled said:

The wife has apologised, to me and the bike.

 

 

Especially the bike i hope...bike gets no benefit from putting up with a agro of being belittled and downgraded!

[Trooper74]

Divorce her.

Take up those offers you’ve had from her younger, single best friend …

Or friends …

The sex will be good … for a while …

Then you’ll miss the wife …. She’ll miss you, and after she’s got rid of Lars you can rebuild your life based on love … and monthly visits to that adult’s only club at Lutterworth .. on the Bike …!

Edited April 18, 2024 by Trooper74

[Throttled]

2 hours ago, Angela Collen said:

If your wife was big enough to apologise,  then I'd count that as a blessing!!

 

On Saturday she will get her 3rd dan black belt Shito-ryu karate. Of course, I accept her apology and so does the bike. 

[Davidtav]

On 17/04/2024 at 17:15, Davidtav said:

In my experience it is generally the wife who is the expensive ornament

I know I said that as a joke but actually my wife died 12 years ago. I really miss her. She was an expensive ornament. But an amazing person. I’m never going to meet another again. I know. I will try to attach a pic 

 

Edited June 13, 2024 by Davidtav

[Simon Davey]

38 minutes ago, Davidtav said:

I know I said that as a joke but actually my wife died 12 years ago. I really miss her. She was an expensive ornament. But an amazing person. I’m never going to meet another again. I know. I will try to attach a pic 

 

 

That's a lovely, happy picture 

[Davidtav]

Yeah. My wife was a proper cool dude. I try to tell my daughters but they just know her as mum. She was  a proper cool lady back in the day. No idea how I pulled her. Except I might have been a bit cooler myself in those days